Suction-dredge shell-screen.



E. E. WINTERSGILL.

SUCTIUNDREUGE SHELL SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23 1911.

vF.. E. WINTERSGILL.

SUCTION DREDGE SHELL SCREEN.

APPLICATmN man 1uLv2s. 1917.

Patented Apr. y23, 1918.

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Z2 attains VE. E. WINTERSGILL.

SUCTION DREDGE SHELL SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23m917.

Patented. Apr; 23,1918.'

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SGTTON-DREDGE SHELiILA-S'CREEN.

Patented hperl 23e lttle.

Applicaties aieaiaiy 23, 1er?. semaine. remesa TojaZZ 'whom' t may' concern: y

Be it known that I, Eritrea E. Wn'vrrens Ginn, a citizen off the"E United StatesV of merica, residing at Gulfport, in the county of Pinellas and State of Florida, have in vented certain new and useful improvements in Suction-Dredge Shell-Screens, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates toA a suction dredge shell'screen and has for its object the production of a simple and eiiicient screen which may be kept clean of alli foreign substance.

Another" object ,ofv this invention is" the production of a simple efficient screen which will easily and efficiently separate the shell when dredged from the sand, grass, and water.

With these and other' objects'in view' this invention consistsv of certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as .will be hereinafter" fully described and claimed".

In the accompanying drawings: Y

Figure I is a front elevationof the dredge screen.

Y Fig. 2 is a section taken on line of Fig. I.

Fig. is a side elevation of the dredge screen in an operative position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the bottom end of the dredge screen showing the cut-ting knife in operation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention, wherein the suction dredge shell screen is semi-circular in cross section.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that l designates the discharged nozzle which is adapted to discharge the material dredged directly against the screen7 as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A plurality of supporting bars or beams 2 are employed, and these beams 2 engage the respective ends of the top and bottom plates 3 and 4 of the screen. The screen is provided with a plurality of side rails 5 which rails are firmly held in engagement with the top and bottom plates 3 and 4 by means of the nuts 6, shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The upper and lower plates 3 and 4 are provided with a plurality of sockets 6 formed upon' their' inner facesl which sockets"x 6l receive the reduced ends 7 of' the screen* bars 8; The screen bars 8L are preferably circul-tr in cross section and are firmly he'lld between' the upper and lower plates 3' and 4 by means of the* nuts 6 which threaded upon the" respective ends'A of the* endl raitls 5. cutting knife 9" carried by the top' platte 3 irpon the' outer of the screen' and a cutting knife' itl is carried by the bottom platel as shown clearly in- Figs. l 2 of the" drawings. l Y

fr `cleaner"ha` ll is slidfably mounted upon the bars 8- and' is provided with a plurality of apertures 12? through which the bars 8 extend.. It slicarloll be" 11"nderstood that as the cleaner bar rl is' moved longitudinally of thei screen, these bars will scraped by means of the cleaning bar a'ndY the reci-proeating movement thereof upon the bars;

il plurality of' elongated reds' r2 aire connected to the cleaner bar ll by ineans of the colla-rs 153" shown inFig. l', and the upper ends of these rods 12 are connected together by means of ar transversely extending platte 14; The plate 14 carri-es air eye 1'5= which connected to any suitable or desired lifting mea-ns 1V?" for the purpose of railsing and lowering the* rods lf2'. The lowei* ends of these* rodsv 12 pass through suitable apen tures 18 formed inv the bottone plate" di and it will be seen that as the cleaner bar 11 travels longitudinally of the rods or bars 8, no additional opening will be produced throughout the entire width of the screen. It should be understood that should grass or the like accumulate upon the screen and between the bars 8, the cleaner bar 11 will cause the grass or other foreign matter to be cut between the bar l1 and the edge of the cutting knives 9 and l0. Special attention is invited to Fig. 4 in connection with the above statement. It, of course, should be understood that the flow of the water through the section will wash the accumulated grass from the face of the screen after the same has been cut upon the knives 9 and 10. It should be understood that if it is so desired the bars or rods l2 may be raised by means of a cable or the like and may be allowed to drop through gravity for the reason that the same may be made of suitable weight to accomplish the desired purose. .i p From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and eiicient device has been produced for conveniently supporting the shell when dredged from the sand, grass andwater, and that owing to the construction of the knives 9 and l0, the grass will be 4prevented from being entangled upon the rods 8.

By carefully considering Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that a modified form of the invention is disclosed, wherein the screen is Varranged on the arc of a circle, upon its gage at Vtheir upper ends a transversely eX- tending connecting bar 25. The lower ends ofthese bars 24k work through the apertures 26 formed in the lower end plates 20. It will be seen from the foregoing description, that the screen bars 21 may be kept clean by reciprocating the cleaning bar 23 upon the screen bars 21 and bringing the same into engagement with the cutting knives 22.

Vhat is claimed is: y

l. Ay dredge shell screen comprising a frame, said frame comprising a plurality of vertical extending bars, a cleaner bar, said vertical extending bars assing through said cleaner bar, cutter p ates carried by said frame and fitting in close engagementr upon said vertical extending bars, and rods connected to said cleaner bar for forcing the same into engagement with said cutter plates for cutting any entangling of foreign substance collecting thereon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for for the bottom end of said operating bars,

and means carried by said tieplate for facilitating the attachment of operating means thereto.

3. A dredge shell screen comprising a frame, said frame comprising end bars, said end bars being covered on the arc of a circle, cutting plates carried by vsaid frame, screen bars carried by said end plates, a cleaning bar working upon said screen bars and adapted to reciprocate through said screen bars arranged upon said end plates upon the arc of a circle and said cleaning bar adapted to be forced into engagement with said cutting plates for cutting material accumulating upon said screen bars.

4. A dredge shell screen comprising a i' frame, cutting plates secured to said frame, a cleaner bar reciprocately mounted upon said frame and adapted to force material accumulating upon said screen down upon said cutting plates for cutting material ac- A cumulating upon said screen free from said screen.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allx my signature.

ELMER E. WINTERSGILL.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

